1. If the Eagles were going to bring him back, a move to safety made sense. Mills simply doesn’t have the speed to race down the field with top-tier wide receivers. Allowing him to face the quarterback should help him in coverage, as he has shown above-average ball skills in the past. The question becomes: will he replace Jenkins at strong safety? He is getting a decent raise and will probably be pegged to start in training camp.

2. Mills’ leadership will be important in the secondary. Jenkins set to test free agency, the Eagles may need a new leader in the secondary. Mills’ intelligence and locker room leadership are routinely praised by his teammates. Perhaps, the Eagles want to keep him around from that standpoint as well.

3. The secondary will have some familiarity next year. Even if the Eagles move on from Jenkins and cornerback Ronald Darby, new defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel will still have Mills, McLeod and Avonte Maddox as starters in the secondary. Otherwise, the position could set for a major facelift.

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